After reading many articles about ARCS model I learned some important facts. No matter what you call your attention-getting device, they all basically refer to the same things. Here are a few examples I have used in my teaching. It could be called: The Hook, The Catch Phrase, The Introduction, The Attention Getter, etc., but I have come up with my own name. I call it "The Grabber." This name is appropriate because it states one of the most important parts of a successful lesson. In my classroom, I spend a lot of time in the early stages of planning coming up with "The Grabber." Since getting the learner's attention is of utmost importance, as teachers we have to constantly adapt attention grabbing for different students. Obviously, each year or quarter, or in my situation, each section of each grade level, we have different students, so what works with some classes could completely bore other students. Grabbing attention is very important, but I feel maintaining is more difficult. In my teaching, some of my most successful lessons have taught are because I made it relevant to my students and their lives. This can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. One way I achieve this is by doing interest inventories of for each class at the beginning and middle of the year. This allows me to keep current with what my students are interested in and I plan accordingly. Formal and informal feedback throughout the entire lesson helps build the learner’s confidence for attaining the desired skill. Last, but not least I use rubrics in my classroom. Only I create some and students help me with others. This allows my students, early in the learning process, to understand my expectations. This way they cannot say "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"(Rolling Stones) because they are completely aware of what needs to be done to satisfy the lesson objectives.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
ARCS: "Motivation Is The Key To Success"
After reading many articles about ARCS model I learned some important facts. No matter what you call your attention-getting device, they all basically refer to the same things. Here are a few examples I have used in my teaching. It could be called: The Hook, The Catch Phrase, The Introduction, The Attention Getter, etc., but I have come up with my own name. I call it "The Grabber." This name is appropriate because it states one of the most important parts of a successful lesson. In my classroom, I spend a lot of time in the early stages of planning coming up with "The Grabber." Since getting the learner's attention is of utmost importance, as teachers we have to constantly adapt attention grabbing for different students. Obviously, each year or quarter, or in my situation, each section of each grade level, we have different students, so what works with some classes could completely bore other students. Grabbing attention is very important, but I feel maintaining is more difficult. In my teaching, some of my most successful lessons have taught are because I made it relevant to my students and their lives. This can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. One way I achieve this is by doing interest inventories of for each class at the beginning and middle of the year. This allows me to keep current with what my students are interested in and I plan accordingly. Formal and informal feedback throughout the entire lesson helps build the learner’s confidence for attaining the desired skill. Last, but not least I use rubrics in my classroom. Only I create some and students help me with others. This allows my students, early in the learning process, to understand my expectations. This way they cannot say "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"(Rolling Stones) because they are completely aware of what needs to be done to satisfy the lesson objectives.
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2 comments:
First let me say you got my attention with your image you inserted.
I think you are certainly right getting and keeping the students attention takes some thought, but well worth the effort. Your idea about interest inventories is a great way to keep the lesson relevant to their lives. And the rubric is a good idea but I really like your idea about allowing them to help with some of the expectations
I agree that maintaining the attention of your students is a factor in making or breaking a lesson. There have been times when I’ve taught lessons and used some type of attention grabber only to lose my students later on. Finding relevance is the key to keeping students motivated to learn. If we cannot find a way to relate the instruction to something in our students’ lives, then it will be hard to keep their attention. I believe that students of today function much different then we did growing up. The technologies of today are key stimuli for motivation and the functioning of these children. As instructors, it’s important that we are capable and willing to deliver instruction in which we’ve incorporated technology and created relevance for our students.
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